Orkney Wine Company

The Orkney Wine Company started as a hobby for Emile van Schayk after he was given a recipe by Sarah Leneghan, a retired shepherdess in Stranraer, in 1997. He had so many ideas for different recipes, using many different ingredients, the number of demi-johns bubbling away in the house increased rapidly. Two years later the van Schayk family moved to Orkney. Emile entered the local Homebrew and Wine competition, and won two years in a row. It was this and popular demand that encouraged Emile to turn his hobby into a business.

All the wines and liqueurs are made in the traditional way using fruit, flowers and vegetables, which are fermented whole resulting in high levels of anti-oxidants and maximum flavour. Only the finest natural ingredients are used, with as much as possible grown in Orkney.

They do not add sulphites, which let's the fermentation process stop naturally. Because the alcohol levels are higher than in most wines, there is no need to use any preservatives. This means you can enjoy a few glasses of Orkney Wine without getting a headache! To clear the wines they use bentonite, a natural clay, not gelatine or any other animal product which many other wineries use. All Orkney Wine Company wines are suitable for vegetarians.

Here are a selection of wines produced by the Orkney Wine Company :

18 Carat 19.3%

More like a liqueur this wine made from Orkney grown carrots and fortified with Orkney single malt whisky. Clean golden yellow colour. Full flavoured with light spicy aromas and a long complex aftertaste. Made with Orkney carrots, organic wheat, Highland Park 8 year old single malt whisky, grapefruit, lemons, oranges, raisins and barley extract.

Black Portent 16.5%

Port-style Blackcurrant wine. Very smooth and juicy, full of fruit. Delicious as aperitif or after dinner with cheese. Made with blackcurrants, wild blueberries, boysenberries, brambles and root ginger.

Blaeberry Haist 14.5%

Blueberry wine. Full bodied, smooth, velvety and big on flavour. A fabulous match with steak, venison or mature cheeses.

Made with wild blueberries, boysenberries, blackcurrants and brambles.

Cranberry 12.5%

Vibrant, dry, crisp and fruity. Wonderful with lamb, chicken, risotto or on its own.

Made from gorse flowers, picked by the capable fingers of members of the Kirkwall City Pipeband. Full of Orkney sunshine! Floral aroma, rich palate with a citric buzz. Great with seafood and oriental dishes.

Made with Orkney gorse flowers and white grape must concentrate.

Orkney Rose 14.8%

Used to be called Rozebottel. A light dry rosé made with locally grown rosehips. Subtle aromas and flavour. Complements meat, fish or vegetarian dishes. Serve slightly chilled.

Made with Orkney rosehips, brambles, blackcurrants and boysenberries.

Raspberrylicious 16.5%

A delicious raspberry liqueur. Perfect on its own, and with dessert or chocolate. Great for mixing with bubbly.

Made with Westray raspberries, boysenberries, brambles, wild blueberries, Orkney rhubarb and heatherberries from Deerness and Rousay.

Strubarb 16%

Made with strawberries and Orkney grown rhubarb. A slightly sweet rosé. Intensely crisp, fresh and fruity, with a lingering finish. Lovely as dessert wine or on its own as a liqueur.

Some say it is an aphrodisiac...

Veryberry 14%

Made with seven different berries, redcurrants, Westray raspberries, strawberries, brambles, wild blueberries, gooseberries and boysenberries. Young, lively, soft full flavoured palate with a long fruity finish.

Perfect slightly chilled.

A big thank you to the Orkney Wine Companies own web site, www.OrkneyWine.co.uk for most of the information and images on this page. For more information and a chance to buy some of their excellent fruit wine then please click on the link above.